Managing Health... Beverages Low in Sugar, Calories, and Caffeine Gain Popularity

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] '3-low beverages' with low sugar, calorie, and caffeine content are gaining attention from consumers. The food industry is launching various beverage products that preserve unique flavors and contain essential nutrients while reducing specific components.

According to related industries on the 19th, Jeong Food's 'Vegemil Ace Low-Sugar Soy Milk' is a low-sugar beverage that uses slowly absorbed sugars instead of sugar. It is designed to allow sugar to be absorbed slowly in the body by using palatinose, a component derived from honey, which has a digestion and absorption rate about one-fifth that of sugar. The sugar content is also designed to be low sugar, with less than 4g per pack (190ml), allowing consumers who need systematic sugar management to drink with confidence. Additionally, it includes calcium and vitamin D to support bone health, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, and beta-glucan.

Coca-Cola recently introduced 'Sprite Zero,' which removes sugar from the original Sprite. 'Sprite Zero' features the removal of sugar while retaining Sprite's unique refreshing and cool taste that fills the mouth. The product packaging emphasizes the 'zero concept,' featuring Sprite's distinctive cool green color as the background and the phrase 'Zero Sugar' in the upper spark to highlight the product's characteristics. The spark shape is also rendered in gray color, contrasting with the bright yellow of the original Sprite, making it easy to distinguish from the existing product at a glance.

Beverages that provide healthy hydration are also popular. Coffee and tea specialist Jardin launched two stick-type powdered kombucha products called 'Our Tea Kombucha.' The products, 'Our Tea Kombucha Grapefruit' and 'Our Tea Kombucha Berry,' contain 17 types of probiotics, plant-based probiotic dead cells, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Each serving contains only 10 kcal, making it low in calories.

The hydration beverage brand 'Ling Tea' recently released a zero-calorie new product called 'Ling Tea Zero Peach Flavor.' 'Ling Tea Zero Peach Flavor' is a beverage that can be consumed daily like water without calorie concerns. It uses erythritol, a naturally derived sweetener, instead of sugar, and is launched as a 0 kcal product.

Demand for decaffeinated coffee is also steadily increasing. Recently, Lotte Nestl? Korea released the 'Nescafe Supremo Decaffeinated Coffee Mix.' This product allows consumers to enjoy the balanced coffee flavor unique to 'Nescafe Supremo' and applies 'water decaffeination' technology that extracts caffeine only with water, making it safer to drink.

Dunkin, operated by BR Korea, an SPC Group affiliate, launched 'Dunkin Decaffeinated Coffee.' 'Dunkin Decaffeinated Coffee' removes 96.9% of caffeine content but retains rich taste and aroma. It uses Geisha variety beans, known for their complex flavor and texture compared to regular varieties, allowing consumers to enjoy various flavors such as the acidity found in fruits and the nutty taste of cashews and other nuts.